Bruce Heydt wants it to be known.

When you come to one of Millersville Community Church's mental health support groups, you are entering a no-stigma zone.

Starting in late August, the church will sponsor three support groups through its Empowered by Grace ministry.

The 10-week small group programs are free and will be held at the church, 163 W. Frederick St., Millersville.

Family Grace Group, led by Sherry Mull and Mary Burger, will meet Mondays beginning Aug. 25 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Family Grace is intended to guide people through simple biblical and neuroscience insights and provide practical tools to reduce stress and help attendees to empower their loved ones with hope.

Living Grace Group, led by Heydt and Sharon McIlhenney, will meet Tuesdays beginning Aug. 26 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Living Grace is designed to help people develop tools to reduce stress, depression, anxiety, and other challenges.

Redefine Grace Group, led by Kelly Dennis and Scott Donaldson, will meet Wednesdays beginning Aug. 27 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. The goal is to supply grace-filled mental health solutions and community support for older teens and young adults.

Anyone interested in participating in the groups should contact Dennis at kelly@kellyfdennis.com or 717-951-0266. Dennis said she will accept registrations up to the day before each group starts, but she would prefer that people register a week before, which will help make sure there are enough materials available at the initial meeting.

Dennis, the programs' facilitator and a licensed professional counselor, screens those seeking to join. "I decide if they are appropriate for the level that we're doing in a support group for mental health," she said. "So if there's somebody that calls me and I listen to their story, I might think maybe they need counseling or something else first before they need a support group."

Heydt, a retired lay preacher, said it's paramount that all participants feel comfortable. "The groups are a stigma-free zone because it's hard for some people going through some of these things," he said. "We're here to support each other, so there's not going to be judgment. There's not going to be any sort of pushback along those lines. It's a safe place."

Heydt said feedback shows that the programs are effective. "They tell us that it's one of the few places where they didn't feel judged and they felt like they could just be themselves," he said.

Heydt cited statistics from the book "Streetlights" by mental health and addictions counselor Janelle Bitikofer. "One in five adults face mental health challenges," said Heydt. "The way I like to picture that is if you live in a residential community, one or two of your neighbors is facing a mental health challenge right now. ... These are the people in the community that you meet in the supermarket every day. I think that's what people need to kind of understand. I think there's a whole spectrum when we're talking about mental health challenges."

Heydt hopes to incorporate other lessons he learned from Bitikofer's book. "The author states that so many people that she's dealt with feel like there's a fear that if their church knew what they were going through, they wouldn't be accepted," he said. "We don't want to be that church."

Mull has been both a participant and a co-facilitator of the Living Grace program. "You get to know everybody, and it gives you a place to talk," she said. "It gives you a place to figure out yourself because you're seeing things and talking about things with others that are going through the same sorts of things. What initially caught my eye was that it was a faith-based program. It just gave me a complete understanding of mental health and mental wellness and how you can help somebody else."

Dennis stated, "Part of our goal is to educate. That's part of our mission statement - to educate, to reduce stigma, to provide support and care for people who are struggling."